Jordan Brand has a strange relationship amongst tried-and-true sneakerheads.
Of course, the brand's flagship models—the sneakers that Mike actually played in—are widely adored and have earned a great fanaticism amongst collectors and anyone with an interest in sneakers. But other models, like Team Jordans or lifestyle sneakers, rarely gain a serious interest from the legions of devoted sneakerheads.
That is, however, until the Jordan Future came along. People had known about the Future, which is part Chukka Woven and part Air Jordan XI, for a while now. When Complex debuted the sneaker a month ago, some comments from readers included, "I don't wear Jordans, but I actually like the design of these. I'm looking forward to seeing them in other colorways." and "I'm very impressed. They look insanely comfortable and the outsole is crazy. I'm a big fan of asymmetric lacing design and these might be the first Jordan shoe to use one."
The new style really made itself known this past weekend during the NBA All-Star break when it was spotted around the city of New Orleans. The sneaker had been seen on the foot of Jordan athlete (and NBA fashion hound) Russell Westbrook and in a luxe leather and gum sole make-up. It looked like it could, potentially, have the same force as a retro Air Jordan.
The Future looks to bridge two very different world of sneaker collectors: those who dig Air Jordans and those who have more of an eccentric taste for sneakers. The sneaker that the Future gets its upper from, the Chukka Woven, is a decidedly oddball sneaker that has a cult following and has gained fans in recent years. The choice to pair it with the Jordan XI sole, arguably one of the most popular and, surely, hype-inducing sneakers, was an interesting decision. And in a strange way, the combination works and is an exciting new direction for a brand steeped in heritage silhouettes.
The Future looks to bridge two very different world of sneaker collectors: those who dig Air Jordans and those who have more of an eccentric taste for sneakers.
But then, the Future had a run-in with #ntdenim
Air Jordans are usually known for a bulky build and having denim sit on the top—which goes perfectly with Mike's own preference for "relaxed" pants. The Future is different, though. Its sleek upper is snug to the wearer's ankles, and calls for super-slim denim, snug-fitting sweats, or some sort of jogger pants. None of which, apparently, were worn by the people who were seeded their pairs during All-Star Weekend—or at least those who decided to take pictures while wearing their new sneakers.
The excitement that surrounded the Jordan Future was swiftly snuffed by pictures of denim that drowned the uppers. The Jordan Future had been attacked by the curse that is #ntdenim.
It's crazy. The Jordan Future received a positive reaction from sneakerheads. People are genuinely excited by the new silhouette. But commenters are trying to turn an exciting new silhouette into the butt of an Internet joke because of bad jeans.
It doesn't mean that the Jordan Future is unwearable, but make sure you're wearing the right jeans to pull off the sneaker before lacing these up.
The Jordan Future can bring more diversity to the brand and expand its credibility amongst those who lean towards runners more than basketball sneakers. It's already been established that the sneaker itself can. It's just going to take an educated pant choice for the person who chooses to wear them.
